The reality is, behind all the innuendo, urine extraction and fun making, so far the Tree House has gained 2 new inhabitants who are unproven at senior level and, apart from the 3 veterans whose contracts had expired, there has been movement neither out nor in at DCFC.
The 2 Portuguses lads might make it, they might not. If you look at bringing young lads with a load of potential but little to no senior experience in then it is a huge gamble. One Derby have tried in the past (Bueno, Costa and Cywka to name but 3) and it hasn't worked. Other clubs have tried it and it usually goes up in smoke. Someone mentioned Wolves earlier in this thread. Their foreign buys of a year ago were all experienced players with Senior International and CL experience. Not a gamble on youth.
The Tree House dwellers and DCFCA might be right and these 2 help spur them on to promotion. History is not on their side. Alan Hansen once said "you can't win anything with kids". With one notable exception, no team has won the league with six players under the age of 23 playing over 10 games in that season. Statistically, he was hugely right.
There is one other possible hurdle for the 2 young uns to jump that I haven't mentioned before. On top of the arduous nature of Sat/Tue/Sat games over a 46 game season and neither of them are used to games coming that rapidly or in that great a number plus the dangers of playing L**ds, Millwall etc who will kick anything that moves plus anything that doesn't to make sure it stays that way, the 2 Portuguese lads will be under huge pressure as they are being seen as the saviours. Can they handle that pressure?
If they can then the Tree House has pulled off the coup of any century. However, history and statistics say otherwise.
All any of us can do is wait and see. Apart from that it is all opinion and conjecture.
ÔAt last, amongst all the hyperbole and guesswork, some sense. Totally agree ‘Amster...there are still the best part of two months until the beginning of the season, very few major signings of known quality players have been signed by anyone in the top two divisions and until there is a better idea of the squads involved it’s all just complete guesswork.
Think back a year, no one predicted Wolves and Cardiff taking the top two places but plenty suggested Sunderland and Boro’ would and look what happened. Not until just after Christmas did anyone (Manx was first I think) predict Fulham’s late second half surge...suspect it’ll be just as unpredictable this year
Thanks rA. I don't subscribe to the "we are Derby and will finish above you" line of thought despite knowing we will It will all look a tad clearer come the big kick off. Until then we can only tease.
The Tree House dwellers do seem very upbeat though. I read in the week that they have now reached 18K in Season Ticket sales for the forthcoming campaign. That is a huge number for them.
I know we passsed that figure some time ago. Has anybody seen the current figure which will certainly be higher following Frank's arrival. It will probably end up at 22K or higher as it did last season.......